CWB Form 101E/2023-1
CERTIFICATION GUIDE FOR
APPLICANT COMPANIES TO
CSA STANDARDS
W47.1, W47.2, W55.3 & W186
Congratulations and Welcome to the CWB Certification Application Process
This guide will help you, as an applicant company, to meet the requirements of certification specified in
CSA Standards W47.1, W47.2, W55.3 and W186. Additional information can be obtained by contacting any
CWB Office by phone, fax or email.
We’re ready to help. Call us!
Phone: 1.800.844.6790
International: 1.905.542.1312
Fax: 1.905.542.1318
Email: info@cwgroup.org
www.cwbgroup.org
CERTIFICATION GUIDE FOR APPLICANT COMPANIES
TO CSA STANDARDS W47.1, W47.2, W55.3 & W186
Here is your CWB Certification Guide. Now what?
Thank you for considering CWB certification. Certification is not simply a set of standards for the welding and joining industry, but
is a significant and worthwhile investment in the future of your company. CWB Certification provides the support and means for
you to effectively grow and promote your business. CWB Group is committed to the welding and joining industry and to providing
the best possible access to a wealth of services and support.
Your “Certification Guide” contains all the necessary materials to complete the certification process. To help you understand the
process, information about the applicable CSA Standards, study guides and other relevant documents are also included.
Certification to CSA Standards W47.1, W47.2, W55.3 and W186 is obtained upon completion of the following 6 steps.
Step 1 Complete the Forms
Several forms must be completed and returned to the CWB. This will help us identify your personnel and list
the experience of your welding supervisors and engineers.
• Form 151 – List of Personnel (required with or prior to Forms 155 / 159 being submitted)
• Form 155 – Welding Supervisor Resume
• Form 159 – Welding Engineer Declaration (required for Division 1 or 2 companies, if applicable)
All forms are to be forwarded to forms@cwbgroup.org for processing. You will receive an acknowledgment email
once processing is completed.
Step 2 Qualify your Welding Supervisor(s)
Each company is required to employ an adequate number of Welding Supervisors, personnel with the required welding
related experience, to control your company's welding operations. The designated welding supervisor shall have a
minimum of five (5) years of welding-related experience pertinent to the company’s type of operations. Reduction in
the required years of experience may be claimed based on individual education qualifications. Please contact the CWB
Group or refer to each CSA Standard for particulars. These supervisors will also need to complete written examinations
on welding symbols, weld faults, quality control and inspection methods and the following standard(s) (as per the
applicable CSA Standard for which CWB certification is required):
For certification to CSA Standard W47.1
- CSA Standard W47.1 | Certification of Companies for Fusion
Welding of Steel
- CSA Standard W59 | Welded Steel Construction (Metal Arc Welding)
For certification to CSA Standard W47.2
- CSA Standard W47.2 | Certification of Companies for Fusion Welding
of Aluminum
- CSA Standard W59.2 | Welded Aluminum Construction
For certification to CSA Standard W55.3
- CSA Standard W55.3 | Certification of Companies for Resistance
Welding of Steel and Aluminum
For certification to CSA Standard W186
- CSA Standard W186 | Welding of Reinforcing Bars in Reinforced
Concrete Construction
In addition, each Welding Supervisor will be given a brief verbal examination
on your company's welding equipment, drawings, and welding procedures
The qualification examinations on welding symbols, weld faults, quality control and inspection methods may be waived if the
Welding Supervisor holds a diploma from a recognized course in welding fundamentals or weld quality control and inspection.
See CWB Form 155 - Welding Supervisor Resume for a list of applicable exemptions.
Examinations are normally held in a CWB Regional office (see last page for locations). Courses are frequently provided on each of
the subjects required for qualification. Examinations may also be written onsite at your facility with invigilation by your CWB
CSR, at CWB offsite exam sessions (Langley, Calgary, Saskatoon, Moncton, Halifax, St. John's), online through ProctorU or at a
CWB approved examination centre by submitting our CWB Form 196 - Exam Request Form or by visiting our CWB website at
https://www.cwbgroup.org/education/examination-centres. Fees may apply to these two last two options.
Please contact the CWB Group to purchase any required study guides designed to prepare candidates for the Welding Supervisor exams.
CWB Education offers regular Welding Supervisor courses throughout the year.
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CERTIFICATION GUIDE FOR APPLICANT COMPANIES
TO CSA STANDARDS W47.1, W47.2, W55.3 & W186
Step 3
Qualify your Professional Engineer(s)
A company applying for certification in Division 1 (full time employed engineer) or Division 2 (part time retained
engineer) (See Divisions of Certification on Page 4) of CSA Standards W47.1, W47.2, W55.3, and W186 must either
qualify a welding engineer, or designate a previously CWB approved welding engineer, who will be
responsible for the welding related activities as required by the company. Each standard specifies the
requirements for qualification.
For companies seeking CWB certification in Division 1 (full time employed engineer), the requirements for CWB
approval are a follows:
ENTRY CONDITIONS: Each welding engineer must be a registered professional engineer in the province he/she is
practicing. When the company seeking certification is located outside of Canada, the welding engineer must
demonstrate comparable qualifications to the satisfaction of the CWB.
This criterion is confirmed through a review of the specified Provincial or Territorial Professional
Engineer Association’s membership roster or directory of practitioners. Alternatively the candidate may be asked
to provide evidence of a current acceptable license to practice engineering.
EDUCATION: Each welding engineer must demonstrate a basic knowledge of the material being welded, welding
fundamentals, welding metallurgy, and welding procedures and practice.
This criterion is confirmed through the review of qualifications granted by educational institutions which provide
welding related programs. The CWB Group, and the International Institute of Welding (IIW), among others, are
examples of organizations which provide courses or qualifications that have been reviewed and recognized as
having met this criterion. If the educational requirements of the applicable standard have not been met, additional
courses may be required.
Note: CSA Standard W47.1 Annex A.1 provides additional guidance in regards to the body of knowledge engineers
are expected to demonstrate in order to qualify under this standard.
CWB Education provides modular learning packages (as listed below) which have been reviewed and accepted as
meeting the educational requirements of the specified standard as indicated in the Education section above.
• CSA W47.1: Procedures Engineer Module Package
(https://www.cwbgroup.org/store/modules/procedures-engineer-module-package)
• CSA W47.2: Aluminum Welding Module Package
(https://www.cwbgroup.org/store/modules/aluminum-welding-module-package)
EXPERIENCE: Each welding engineer must demonstrate five (5) years of welding related experience specific to the
qualification being sought.
This criterion is confirmed through a review of documentation submitted by the engineer. Documentation
demonstrating activities such as welding inspection, welding supervision, weld testing, weld designing or detailing,
welding instruction, fabrication planning, manual, semi-automatic, mechanized, or automatic welding and welding
procedure development and testing are all considered relevant supporting documents. This list of activities is not
exhaustive and other forms of welding related documentation may be acceptable.
CODES AND STANDARDS: Each welding engineer must be knowledgeable in the applicable codes and standards.This
criterion is demonstrated through the candidate’s successful completion of the CWB examinations on the applicable
welding standards.
Companies seeking CWB certification in Division 2 (part time retained engineer) can locate a listing, by province, of
previously CWB approved engineers at: https://www.cwbgroup.org/site-search?search_term=engineers+listing.
Engineers must be designated on a CWB company file by the company's Certification Contact completing the
CWB Form 151 - List of Personnel (named on Line #4). Each designated engineer must complete and submit CWB
Form 159 - Welding Engineer Declaration for review and approval. All forms can be emailed to
forms@cwbgroup.org for processing.
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CERTIFICATION GUIDE FOR APPLICANT COMPANIES
TO CSA STANDARDS W47.1, W47.2, W55.3 & W186
Step 4 Submit your Company’s Welding Procedures for Approval
The approved employed (Division 1) or retained (Division 2) engineer of each company must prepare and submit to
the CWB for acceptance, a detailed set of welding procedures consisting of:
- Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS) for each welding process used.
- Welding Procedure Data Sheets (WPDS) for each welding process used, joint configuration, electrode type, etc.
In certain circumstances, based on the welding procedure submission, procedure qualification tests may be
required to verify the acceptance of the welding procedure data sheets.
The qualified Welding Supervisor will be required to prepare and submit the above documents if the company is to
be CWB certified as Division 3.
All procedures and data sheets are to be forwarded to: procedures@cwbgroup.org for processing. You will receive
an acknowledgment email once completed.
Step 5 Qualify your Welders
All welders, welding operators and tack welders employed by the company must be tested for the processes and
positions of welding which they use in production.
For welder testing, please contact your CWB Certification Services Representative (CSR) directly or,
dependent on your area, please contact us at 1.800.844.6790:
- Western Canada, Ext. 577 – schedule.western@cwbgroup.org
- Ontario, United States and International, Ext. 377 - schedule.central@cwbgroup.org
- Québec and Eastern Canada, Ext. 477 – schedule.eastern@cwbgroup.org
Step 6 Review and Recommendation for Certification
From time to time, a CWB CSR will visit your company to complete an audit report and provide assistance to complete
the certification requirements. Once all of the above are completed and all other items, such as electrode storage
facilities (shop and field), general appearance of welding, etc., are acceptable, then the company is recommended for
certification. Your file will be reviewed for certification and approval is granted by the CWB Registrar.
Upon satisfactory completion of the final review procedure, the company is issued a Letter of Certification, a Letter
of Validation and a Document of Certification. Permission is also granted to use the CWB’s registered trademark on the
company’s letterhead and promotional material and your company is listed on our website as a CWB certified company.
Then it’'s Congratulations and Welcome to CWB Certification!
Checklist
1) You’ve completed the forms - see Page 1
2) Qualify your Welding Supervisor(s) - see Page 1
3) Qualify or Designate your Professional Engineer(s) - see Page 2
4) Submit your Company’s Welding Procedures for Approval - see Page 3
5) Qualify your Welders - see Page 3
6) Review and Recommendation for Certification - see Page 3
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CERTIFICATION GUIDE FOR APPLICANT COMPANIES
TO CSA STANDARDS W47.1, W47.2, W55.3 & W186
Divisions of Certification
CSA Standards W47.1, W47.2 and W55.3
CSA Standards W47.1, W47.2 and W55.3 contain provisions for the certification of a company in one of three Divisions. The
Division chosen will depend on the type of work being performed (see chart below for assistance), and the authority to which
the company is responsible (i.e. municipality, owner, contractor, etc.). CSA Standard W186 contains provisions for the
certification of a company in one of two Divisions as the company is required to employ or retain a qualified engineer.
Division 1
To be certified in Division 1, the company must employ, on a full time basis, a registered professional engineer(s) responsible
for welding related activities specified by the company.
Division 2
To be certified in Division 2, the company must retain, on a part time basis, a registered professional engineer(s) responsible for
welding related activities specified by the company.
Division 3
The company is not required to have a registered professional engineer, either employed or retained. The WPS and WPDS are
submitted by the approved welding supervisor for the company.
FAQ?
Is there a difference in the cost to get certified for Divisions?
No, the application and annual fee your company will pay for CWB Certification is the same regardless of the division of
certification you choose. However, if you decide to retain a welding engineer, there will be costs associated with this
service as negotiated between your company and the welding engineer.
How do I find an approved welding engineer?
Our CWB website www.cwbgroup.org provides a list of approved engineers that work in your Province. To request a copy of
this listing to be sent to you, please call us at 1.800.844-6790. Note that welding engineers must meet the requirements of the
applicable CSA Standard and be accepted by the CWB.
Depending on the type of work your company is doing, some design and product codes are specific about the division required
for certification, while others are unspecified. In certain cases, the owner of the project / structure / final product may specify
the division in the contract documents. Some common examples are:
Yes, your company can apply for a change of division at any time. There is no charge from the CWB to make this change.
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CERTIFICATION GUIDE FOR APPLICANT COMPANIES
TO CSA STANDARDS W47.1, W47.2, W55.3 & W186
Welding Supervisor Examinations for CSA Standards W47.1, W47.2, W55.3 & W186
Written Code Examinations
Time
Exam
Format
(Minutes)
Study Materials
Comments
Open book
CSA Standard W47.1
40 multiple
Bring the latest edition of CSA Standard
CSA W47.1
90
and applicable study
choice
W47.1 only
guide
questions
CSA W59
Open book
40 multiple
choice
questions
90
CSA Standard W59
and applicable study
guide
Bring the latest edition of CSA Standard
W59 only
CSA W47.2
Open book
40 multiple
choice
questions
90
CSA Standard W47.2
and applicable study
guide
Bring the latest edition of CSA Standard
W47.2 only
CSA W59.2
Open book
40 multiple
choice
questions
90
CSA Standard W59.2
and applicable study
guide
Bring the latest edition of CSA Standard
W59.2 only
CSA W55.3
Open book
25 multiple
choice
questions
45
CSA Standard W55.3
Bring the latest edition of CSA Standard
W55.3 only
CSA W186
Open book
40 multiple
choice
questions
90
CSA Standard W186
Bring the latest edition of CSA Standard
W186 only
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CERTIFICATION GUIDE FOR APPLICANT COMPANIES
TO CSA STANDARDS W47.1, W47.2, W55.3 & W186
Study Guides for Welding Supervisors
For Examinations for CSA Standards W47.1, W47.2, W55.3 and W186
CWB Certification to CSA Standard W47.1:
•
Welding Supervisor Steel Study Guides:
Welding Supervisor Course Background Material
o
Welding Symbols – Study Guide
o
Weld Discontinuities – Study Guide
o
Quality Control and Inspection Methods – Study Guide
o
W47.1– Study Guide
o
W59 – Study Guide
o
https://www.cwbgroup.org/store/course‐materials/welding‐supervisor‐steel‐study‐guides
CWB Certification to CSA Standard W47.2:
Welding Supervisor Aluminum Study Guides:
o
o
o
o
o
o
Welding Supervisor Aluminum Course Background Material
Welding Symbols – Study Guide
WSA Weld Discontinuities – Study Guide
WSA Quality Control and Inspection Methods – Study Guide
W47.2– Study Guide
W59.2 – Study Guide
https://www.cwbgroup.org/store/course‐materials/welding‐supervisor‐aluminum‐study‐guides
CWB Certification to CSA Standards W55.3 and W186:
There are no study guides available for the specific code exams for CSA W55.3 and/or CSA W186. Welding Supervisors
previously approved to CSA W47.1 are exempt from rewriting the Weld Symbols, Weld Faults, and Quality
Control and Inspection Methods exams under CSA W186. Welding Supervisor candidates under CSA W55.3 are only
required to write the open book examination on CSA W55.3 as this examination is comprehensive in nature and meets
the requirements of the standard alone.
Welding Supervisors having previously written the Weld Symbols exam are only required to write this exam once for a Standard approval.
Previously CWB approved Welding Supervisors are not required to rewrite the specified examinations. The verbal interview
pertaining to your company's welding equipment, drawings and welding procedures is required by each designated Welding Supervisor
prior to approval. Contact 1.800.844.6790 for any questions or concerns.
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CERTIFICATION GUIDE FOR APPLICANT COMPANIES
TO CSA STANDARDS W47.1, W47.2, W55.3 & W186
Obligations of a CWB Certified Company
It is the responsibility of each company to maintain compliance with the standard on a continual basis.
Listed below are the minimum requirements that must be met:
Personnel
1. Employ an adequate number of qualified Welding Supervisors to supervise all shop and field welding activities.
2. Ensure that the Welding Supervisor is qualified and has the authority and time to control welding operations in the shop and/
or field.
3. Employ or retain the services of engineers qualified in accordance with the appropriate standard (this requirement is not
applicable to Division 3 companies in CSA Standards W47.1, W47.2 and W55.3).
4. Ensure that all welders are qualified for the positions and processes that they are expected to use.
5. Inform the CWB immediately of any changes in designated engineering, supervisory or quality control personnel, the name and /or
relocation of plant, and changes in contact information, etc.
Procedures
1. Ensure that the company’s welding procedures cover all joints, processes and positions used in fabrication/erection, and are
up to date and approved by the CWB.
2. Ensure that the company’s welding procedures are available to all those personnel requiring them and are followed in the
design office, shop and field.
Equipment
1. Ensure that all welding equipment and auxiliary equipment are maintained in good repair.
2. Ensure that all welding equipment is adequate to produce the required weldments.
Workmanship
1. Ensure that welding performed by the company and its subcontractors is continuously done in accordance with the requirements
of the certification standard and the approved welding procedures.
2. Maintain weld quality and workmanship at the levels specified by the design or product standard.
3. Ensure that all welding is completed using certified consumables that are stored and reconditioned in accordance with the
applicable standard.
Maintain Records and Reports
1. Maintain an up to date file containing copies of the necessary reports and forms, etc.
2. Ensure that copies of the company’s welding procedures, welder, welding operator and tack welder employment and
qualification reports (CWB Form 108 or an equivalent) and engineer’s reports (CWB Form 107 or an equivalent) are up to date
and available to the CWB’s CSR at time of audit visit.
Proper Use of the CWB Certification Mark
1. Companies that obtain certification to CSA Standards W47.1, W47.2, W55.3 and W186 are granted permission to use the CWB’s
Certification Mark in their advertising, promotional material and other literature only to indicate their certification.
2. The cert mark may not be altered or used in any way that could be interpreted as meaning the certification of the company’s
products or services.
3. The cert mark must not be used in conjunction with any modifying terms or phrases and must not be misleading as to the
extent of certification.
4. Use of the CWB’s Certification Mark must be discontinued upon the termination of certification.
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CERTIFICATION GUIDE FOR APPLICANT COMPANIES
TO CSA STANDARDS W47.1, W47.2, W55.3 & W186
Preparation of Company Welding Procedures
For companies applying for certification to CSA Standards W47.1, W47.2, W55.3 and W186, their welding procedures will
consist of the following separate documents:
- Welding Procedure Specification(s) (WPS)
- Welding Procedure Data Sheets (WPDS)
Sample documents are available upon request from your CWB CSR or by calling 1.800.844.6790.
Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS)
A company must have a Welding Procedure Specification outlining the general welding procedure to be followed in the
construction of weldments built in accordance with any governing design or manufacturing standard, or both.
A separate WPS is required for each welding process (e.g. SMAW, FCAW, etc.) and is usually required to define the welding of
special applications (e.g. stainless steels, Q & T steels, welding with controlled heat inputs, etc.).
All pertinent essential variables should be defined numerically. A special effort should be made to convey information on the
actual process and welding technique practised in the shop. It is also suggested that ranges of operating parameters for the
various sizes of electrodes used be shown in the WPS.
Each WPS must be signed and/or sealed by the designated engineer, or the welding supervisor, for Division 3 companies.
Welding Procedure Data Sheets (WPDS)
A Welding Procedure Data Sheet lists specific information required for the actual welding of each joint, and defines the joint
geometry, layer and pass sequence, the welding symbol, material, welding and other parameters. Each WPDS must be signed
and/or sealed by the designated engineer, or the welding supervisor for Division 3 companies.
Companies applying for certification to CSA Standard W47.1 may submit a WPS in lieu of individual data sheets for each
prequalified joint. See Clause 11.1.1 of CSA Standard W47.1 for details.
General Comments Regarding WPS AND WPDS
All WPS’s and WPDS’s for CSA Standards W47.1, W47.2 and W186 must be submitted to the Canadian Welding Bureau for
approval. WPS’s and WPDS’s for CSA Standard W55.3 shall be made available to the CWB CSR for review.
The company’s welding procedures must be made available for use by the shop and field welding supervisors, as well as by the
engineering and detailing staff, and other authorized personnel, including the CWB CSR.
The company’s welding procedures must be updated upon subsequent issues of pertinent CSA Standards and extended to include
the use of any additional welding processes, or new joint geometry, or joints welded in positions other than allowed by existing
WPS’s and WPDS’s.
Companies applying for certification to CSA Standard W47.1 or W47.2 may qualify an uncertified electrode for their own use by
completing the electrode and procedure qualification tests specified in CSA Standard W47.1 or W47.2.
There are no provisions for the use of uncertified electrodes in CSA Standard W186.
To reduce the costs of qualification testing and thus certification, all welding electrodes used by
a company must be certified by the CWB to the appropriate electrode standard.
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CERTIFICATION GUIDE FOR APPLICANT COMPANIES
TO CSA STANDARDS W47.1, W47.2, W55.3 & W186
Prequalified Joints
Certain joint configurations that conform to the provisions of Clause 10 of CSA Standard W59 are deemed prequalified. Such
joints may be approved for use without performing procedure qualification tests.
Welding procedures must also conform to Clauses 4, 5 and 10 of CSA Standard W59 in order for the joint to be considered
prequalified. Prequalified joints exist for the shielded metal arc (SMAW), submerged arc (SAW), gas metal arc (GMAW), flux
(FCAW) and metal-cored arc welding (MCAW) processes.
There are no prequalified joints in CSA Standards W59.2 and W186.
Joint details may depart from those prescribed in Clause 10 of CSA Standard W59. However, in such cases the proposed
welding procedure may require qualification testing to be performed in accordance with the requirements of Clause 11 of CSA
Standard W47.1.
Operational Control Procedure - CSA Standard W47.2
Companies applying for certification to CSA Standard W47.2 must implement an Operational Control Procedure and document
for each project. The procedure must contain as a minimum the following information:
1. Base Material
2. Filler Material
3. Requirements for WPDS’s
4. Preweld Checklist
5. Post Weld Visual Inspection
A sample “ALUMINUM OPERATION CONTROL DOCUMENT” is included in W47.2, however this format is not mandatory. Your
organization may already have processes in place to comply with these requirements. Further information on this requirement
can be found at www.cwbgroup.org.
Quality Program - CSA Standard W55.3
Companies applying for certification to CSA Standard W55.3 shall have in place a quality system for resistance welding.
The system shall contain, at minimum, the following items:
1. Organizational structure of the company
2. WPS's and WPDS's with accompanying procedure qualification records
3. Welding-related work instructions, if applicable
4. Welding inspection and test plans; must implement an Operational Control Procedure and document for each project.
The company’s resistance welding quality system shall be included as part of the CWB’s periodic review of the company’s
resistance welding operations.
To book your certification audit or your six (6) month verification audit, please contact your CWB CSR directly or,
dependent on your area, contact:
For Western Canada:
schedule.western@cwbgroup.org
1.800.844.6790, Ext. 577
For Central Ontario, United States and International:
schedule.central@cwbgroup.org
For Canada / USA: 1.800.844.6790, Ext. 377
For International: 1.905.542.1312, Ext. 377
For Québec and Eastern Canada:
schedule.eastern@cwbgroup.org
1.800.844.6790, Ext. 477
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Recommended Order of Commpletion
2. Welding Supervisor(s) to complete exams by:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
3. Engineer(s) to complete exams by:
(i)
(ii)
4. Engineer(s) to complete educational requirements by:
(i)
(ii)
5. Initial submission of welding procedures:
6. Procedure qualification testing completed by:
7. Revised welding procedures submitted by:
8. Welder qualification tests completd by:
9. Submission of alternate welder qualification test data
sheets (Form 161):
10. Welder qualification transfer request submitted:
11. Define Operational Control Procedure (For W47.2 only):
12. Prepare Quality Program (For W55.3 only):
13.
14. All requirements completed by:
CERTIFICATION GUIDE FOR APPLICANT COMPANIES
TO CSA STANDARDS W47.1, W47.2, W55.3 & W186
Visit www.cwbgroup.org to download all CWB client forms
1. Submit CWB Forms 151, 155, 159 and 633 (If required)
Task Completion Dates
Certification Timetable/Checklist
Certification Bench Mark
10
The following certification timetable/checklist is for use as an aid to provide you with a summary of the required items that your
company must complete throughout the certification process. This timetable/checklist should be completed in the presence of your
CWB Certification Services Representative at his/her initial visit to your company.
It is recommended that the order shown on the certification timetable/checklist be followed to save time and money.
Certification Timetable/Checklist (Note: allitemslistedmaynotberequired)
The CWB, federally incorporated, "not-for-profit" organization is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada as a Certification Body
for the administration of CSA Standards W47.1, W47.2, W48, W178.1 and W186.
HEAD OFFICE
8260 Parkhill Drive, Milton, Ontario L9T 5V7
Telephone: 1.800.844.6790
International: 1.905.542.1312
Fax: 905.542.1318
WEB: www.cwbgroup.org
OFFICES ACROSS CANADA
Western Operations:
206 – 19 Avenue, Nisku Industrial Park, Nisku, Alberta T9E 0W8
203 – 1555 St. James Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3H 1B5
Ontario Operations:
8260 Parkhill Drive, Milton, Ontario L9T 5V7
Québec Operations:
4430 rue Garand, Laval, Québec, H7L 5Z6